ASHLAND — Megan and Chad Auer remember visiting the roller skating rink in Ashland when they were young.
It used to be located at the fairgrounds, Megan said. She recalled it being packed with young people on the weekends. But that rollercade closed long ago.
Since it closed, the Auers haven’t really seen other options. The Kroc Center in Ashland does host family roller skating one Friday night a month from 5 to 7 p.m., but the Auers said more flexibility is needed.
In 2018, they started taking steps to find a property where they could rebuild the rink.
Back then, several factors got in the way.
A suitable space wasn’t available, and the overhead costs for getting a rollercade started felt too high at the time. They owned a business already — Auer Towing — that required their attention. One of their children faced serious health complications and the family uprooted to move him to Arizona, where he could receive the care he needed.
It all pushed the dream of reopening a roller skating rink in Ashland to the back burner.
“It was one of those things that wasn’t meant to be,” Megan Auer said.
A second chance
They returned to Ashland from Arizona in 2019 and poured their dedication into Auer Towing, working to make sure the business could be self-sufficient. This year, the Auers began looking to expand the towing business.
It started feeling like their current lot was too small, and they wanted more spae. When they called their real estate agent, they started talking about the idea to open the rollercade again.
Megan said she showed him a property off West Main Street behind Fiesta Charra, and told him they would want something similar if the roller skating rink idea moved forward.
“He goes, ‘Megan, I think that’s one I can get for you,’” Megan said.
The Auers gave an offer to the owner, who accepted it. They’re just waiting for the offer to close — a process that should be finished in the beginning of April, according to Megan and Chad.
Once that happens, they’ll move forward with choosing a construction company to tackle the project and trying to secure a construction loan.
Megan said there are already businesses on the property, and the Auers plan to have those businesses remain.
They’ve spoken to a few local construction companies about the project. Megan said they have received estimates ranging from $750,000 to over $1 million to build The Rollercade.
They hope The Rollercade will open by the year’s end, but said it could take longer than that. Until they receive a construction loan and move forward with a construction company to build the space, no date is certain.
But they are set on seeing the project through, no matter how long it takes.
“It’s going to happen,” Megan said.
Community centered
The Auers’ vision for The Rollercade, once it’s up and running, focuses on giving back.
It’s not like we’re doing this because we see money potential. We’re doing this, truly, because these kids need something.
Megan Auer
It’s something they’ve tried to do with Auer Towing, they said. Megan said they bring their tow trucks to events and schools for students to experience when asked. Auer Towing also serves as a sponsor for local sports teams.
But they said with The Rollercade being marketed toward families, it opens the door to do even more of that service.
They envision offering the community input on theme ideas and curating an inclusive space for all children. Megan said they’d love to accommodate homeschooling families who are looking for activities throughout the week.
She added they’ve heard feedback asking if The Rollercade would be an option for children with special needs.
“We want to … open up space for special needs groups to come in and have helpers there, because how many of them probably have never even had the chance to (skate) because they can’t go out there and flood the floor with everyone else,” Megan said.
“So we want to shut it down and have it just for them.”
The Auers said they also plan to visit roller skating rinks throughout the state to gather more ideas. They’ve received support from the Roller Skating Association.
As local business owners, Megan and Chad said they hope to partner with other local businesses. A Facebook page for The Rollercade has already begun sharing shoutouts for other local businesses, including Gionino’s Pizzeria and Balloon Lagoon.
They’ve also received feedback across Facebook as they’ve started to announce the business, their ideas and their plans. Megan said most of it has been positive. She has tried to ignore the “Negative Nancy’s.”
With her child’s health challenges, Megan said the Auer family has seen the community come together. She thinks The Rollercade offers an opportunity to do that again. It also offers a chance for her family to give back to the town that helped them in a time of need.
“We put everything back into the company, back into our drivers, back into the community,” Megan said. “You can’t take it when you die, you know?
“So it’s not like we’re doing this because we see money potential. We’re doing this, truly, because these kids need something.”
For any further questions about The Rollercade or for other local businesses looking to partner with The Rollercade, you can contact rollercade419@gmail.com.
